A new bylaw has been passed making it illegal to street drink in this area of Leeds.
Going forward, street drinkers in Armley could be facing up to six months in prison if they’re caught by police with an open container of alcohol on the street.
New powers have now been granted by Leeds Magistrate Court, giving officials the power to stop and arrest people that are found to be street drinking.
The law was passed following work by Leeds City Council and the police.
As part of the new law, there will also be increased police patrols, greater licensing activity, and ‘regular operations’ to ‘address anti-social behaviour”, reports the Yorkshire Evening Post.
The new powers, also known as a partial closure order, effectively ban all street drinking in Armley Town Centre.
The new order, which is thought to be one of the first orders of its kind to be passed in England, states that “no person will be allowed in possession of an open container of alcohol in specific areas of Armley unless they are on licensed or residential premises.”
It’s set to remain in place in the town centre until early October, at least.
A council statement said: “Anyone found to be ignoring the terms of the order after ignoring repeated warnings could face prosecution which includes a fine or imprisonment for up to six months.”
Leeds City Council’s deputy leader Debra Coupar, said: “We simply will not tolerate anti-social behaviour in our communities, and residents can be assured that in conjunction with our partners, we will use every possible tool that is available to us to put a stop to it.
“I welcome the additional new powers which we have secured through the courts to tackle the issue of street drinking in Armley town centre and surrounding areas, which is a blight on the community and contributing to a range of anti-social behaviour issues. Through the order, we will be able to take tougher action against those repeat offenders.”
Feature image – Chemical Engineer.
